View of Ghent in the Austrian Netherlands

Ghent in the looming shadow of Napoleon.

This fine view of Ghent, in modern-day Belgium, was published in Percival Barlow’s A General History of Europe around 1790. At the time, the city was under the authority of the Holy Roman Empire as part of the Austrian Netherlands, though this status would change in 1794 with Napoleon’s overwhelming victories against the First Coalition.

The scene shows an idyllic fortified city situated at the confluence of the River Scheldt and River Leie. Canal boats and windmills, both iconic cultural features of the Low Countries, play a prominent role. The skyline is dominated by St. Bavo’s Cathedral and the St. Nicholas Church while the foreground is occupied by several well-dressed aristocrats.

Ghent became a flourishing center for the wool trade during the Middle Ages and the textile industry would play a vital role in the city’s economy well into the 19th century.